


burning in flight

by BonesOfBirdWings



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-25 11:08:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7530298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BonesOfBirdWings/pseuds/BonesOfBirdWings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hinata is warm and bright and beautiful - he’s everything Koushi’s ever wanted.</p><p>It’s a shame his name isn’t on Koushi’s wrist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	burning in flight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [karasunotsubasa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/karasunotsubasa/gifts).



> Thanks so much to fujiwaratoukos and theawesomefanatic on tumblr for prereading this for me! And as always, thanks to Mal for beta'ing!

_“Do you think he and Kageyama are soulmates?” Tanaka says as Daichi does one last check of the gym before locking it up for the night._

_Daichi snorts. “They’ve been at each other’s throats since they’ve been at Karasuno. If they’re soulmates, they’re easily the most antagonistic pair of them I’ve ever seen.”_

_Koushi rubs absentmindedly at the band encircling his right wrist. “I don’t think they’re soulmates either,” he offers. “Hinata had trouble thinking of Kageyama as a potential ally until I walked him through the logic of it.”_

_“But their quick!” Tanaka protests. The three of them exit the gym, Daichi locking the doors behind them. “They were so in-sync! Hinata jumped and Kageyama tossed, and then bam, it was over the net.”_

_“You can be in-sync without being soulmates,” Koushi argues as the trio passes through the school gates. “I think the quick’s simply a product of Kageyama’s genius and Hinata’s reflexes, not some soulmate-based intuition.”_

_Tanaka grumbles a bit, but concedes. “Whatever the cause, that quick is really something,” he states._

_Daichi and Koushi both nod. Koushi notes that Daichi has a fierce look of pride on his face. He thinks of a perfectly tossed ball, a zigzag of orange darting across the court, a boy flying above the net, joy in every line of his body. He smiles. Yes, he’s proud of them too._

* * *

The training camp dorms are silent, with only the occasional snore and the distant chirp of crickets disturbing the stillness. With a small groan, Koushi levers himself out of bed. The heat of the other bodies in the room is stifling and his thoughts are a clamor in his head. Carefully stepping around various outstretched limbs, he makes his way outside.

The night air is cool against his skin. He breathes in deeply, the scent of cut grass and electric humidity heavy on his tongue.

After a few minutes, he notices a rhythmic thumping sound. It’s not a perfectly steady beat – sometimes the thumps are a little delayed or a little too fast. Curious, Koushi makes his way towards the noise. It’s coming from near the gym. A peek in the gym windows reveals nobody inside, so Koushi goes around the back.

It’s somehow not a surprise to see Hinata there. The younger boy is tossing a volleyball against the side of the gym, darting back and forth to receive its wayward bounces. Koushi remembers those first days, when Hinata was a mess of bad posture and poor ball control. He smiles to himself as Hinata fumbles a receive, the ball shooting off towards Koushi’s face. It’s instinct to brace himself, his hands and fingers extended to lightly set the ball.

A flash of orange streaks by him and shoots into the air. The ball slams into the ground, Hinata’s feet hitting the dirt a moment later.

“Suga-san!” he exclaims, whirling around to beam at Koushi. His shirt is soaked with sweat and his chest is heaving with exertion, but his smile is genuine and bright. Koushi can’t help but return it.

“Couldn’t sleep?” he asks lightly, bending down to pick up the volleyball.

Hinata’s smile dims a little. “Yeah,” he replies. He doesn’t say anything else, but Koushi understands. The whole team knows about the freshman duo’s recent difficulties.

“I couldn’t either,” he says, because no one practices receiving at night, alone, when they want to talk about their problems. “It’s hot and stuffy in there.”

“It is!” Hinata chirps, bobbing his head. “And Tanaka-san is so _loud_.” His face screws up into an expression of disgust that can’t be described as anything other than cute.

Koushi laughs lightly. “He is,” he agrees. “Like a bullfrog.”

“Uh-huh,” Hinata giggles, “like _rrawwh_!” He opens his mouth wide, imitating the croaking of a frog.

Koushi laughs harder at the sight. There is something soft and warm in his chest. He doesn’t examine the feeling too closely. He’s been here before, and he knows that nothing good comes of this. But for this moment, just for this moment, he revels in it.

Hinata steps closer, his smile bright and unrestrained. “Suga-san,” he says, and although his giggles have ceased, there’s still a note of mirth in his voice. “Suga-san, you should toss to me!”

“Oh?” Koushi teases. “Should I? Why is that?”

“Suga-san,” Hinata pouts. “Aren’t I your favorite kouhai?”

 _Yes_ , Koushi wants to say, _yes, of course you are_ , but that would be too honest, would reveal too much. “Hmmm,” he says instead, pretending to think about it. “Well... I don’t know.”

“Suga-senpai,” Hinata whines, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He looks almost comically distressed, and Koushi has to fight down his laughter.

“I think my favorite might be Tsukishima.” He tries to say it with a blank face, but the corners of his mouth twitch helplessly upward.

“Whaaa?” Hinata exclaims. “But he has such a shitty personality!”

At this, Koushi can’t hold back any longer – he breaks into laughter again, his sides beginning to ache with it. He can hear Hinata whining, but there’s an undertone of amusement in his voice, so he’s not worried.

“I’m just joking,” he reassures Hinata after a bit. “And of course I’ll toss for you. But then we’re going to bed, okay?” He tries to make his voice stern, but he’s not too sure he succeeds.

“Yay!” Hinata cheers. “Toss to me, toss to me!”

“Alright,” Koushi calls back, and he can hear the naked fondness in his own voice. “Here we go!” Both the volleyball and Hinata soar into the air. The moon is fat and full above them, making both boy and ball glow with silver light. His heart aches, the warm thing in his chest pulsing to the beat of Hinata’s panting breaths. _Nothing good comes of this_ , he tries to remind himself, but the night is cool and the air is still, and all he can see is Hinata, with his bright orange hair and his reckless jumps and his beautiful, shining smile.

He tosses the ball again and again to Hinata, until the younger boy is stumbling on his feet. His eyelids are already starting to droop, and Koushi knows Hinata will definitely sleep through the rest of the night now (and probably be exhausted in the morning).

“Come on,” he softly urges, tucking the volleyball under one arm. “Let’s get back to the dorm now.”

“Okay,” Hinata agrees. He trots to Koushi, and together they head towards their futons. Hinata is walking close beside him – so close that Koushi’s fingers brush his arm with every step. As they round the gym, Hinata stumbles, falling into Koushi’s side. Automatically, he drapes an arm around Hinata’s shoulders to steady him. The boy smiles up at him gratefully. Koushi can feel every point of contact between his bare arm and the hot skin of Hinata’s neck.

Hinata doesn’t pull away, so Koushi leaves his arm there during the rest of their brief walk back. As they near the entrance of the dorms, Hinata presses impossibly closer for one brief moment. Koushi’s heart leaps into his throat. He can’t move, can’t breathe. Hinata’s face is pressed into the curve of his shoulder. The warmth in his chest is an inferno.

After both an instant and an eternity, Hinata pulls away. He smiles up at Koushi, his eyes already half-lidded with sleep. “Thanks, Suga-san,” he murmurs. “You... it was fun.”

“Yeah,” Koushi replies, somehow dragging the words past the blockage in his throat. He aches, the places where Hinata’s body had pressed against him tingling. “It was.”

* * *

_“You’ve been spending a lot of time with Hinata lately.”_

_Koushi looks curiously at Daichi. It’s just the two of them today – Koushi wanted to get in a little independent setting practice, and Daichi had stayed behind to help._

_“I suppose I am,” he answers cautiously. “What about it?”_

_Daichi shrugs. “Just wondering if he feels the same.” There’s a hint of a smirk playing about his lips._

_Koushi is confused for a moment, but then the implication of Daichi’s teasing sinks in. “It’s not like that,” he protests._

_Daichi doesn’t look convinced. That’s fair – Koushi’s not exactly convinced either. “Suga,” he says. “You know I’m not criticizing you, right? He’s a sweet boy. You two are, frankly, adorable together.”_

_“Daichi, it’s really not like that,” Koushi replies weakly. He can hear the lack of conviction in his own voice. Reflexively, he covers the band on his right wrist with his left hand, fiddling with the leather strap._

_Daichi huffs out an irritated breath. “It really is. What’s stopping you from....” He trails off, eyes fixed on the motions of Koushi’s hands._

_“Ah,” he finally says. “Then, you think that....”_

_“I don’t know,” Koushi replies, rubbing at his eyes tiredly. “It’s likely, right? Most people our age are still eagerly awaiting their soulmate. I don’t want to....”_

_“Get in the way of that?” Daichi fills in for him._

_Koushi nods, although he feels like that’s a little generous. His thoughts were not so selfless._

_“And you’re not...?” Daichi ventures, eyes fixed on Koushi’s leather band._

_He doesn’t understand what Daichi’s asking for a second. When he does, he can’t help but chuckle dryly. “You know I’m not,” he says, a little sharply._

_“Yeah,” Daichi agrees sheepishly. “I know, I just... I hoped. It would be nice. For you.”_

_Koushi sighs, absentmindedly running his fingers through his silver hair. “Yeah,” he says. “Yeah, it would.”_

* * *

Koushi loves his team, completely and utterly. He’ll support them until his very last breath, and he knows there will never be a day when he ceases to care about any one of these wonderful, stupid boys.

But sometimes, he just can’t _stand_ them.

“My soulmate’s name is the prettiest,” Nishinoya brags, waving around his right wrist, which is thankfully still covered.

“Ha, no it’s not, Noya!” Tanaka bellows. “Mine’s _foreign_.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s prettier!”

“Well, it’s both foreign _and_ prettier!”

“Be quiet, you two,” admonishes Daichi.

“Daichi-saaan,” both of the second-years croon, turning their attention towards the captain. “What’s your soulmate’s name?” Daichi scowls at them, his left hand coming up to protectively cover the band on his right wrist.

There’s an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of Koushi’s stomach. He imagines a hand darting out of nowhere to rip off the band. Involuntarily, he covers his band with his left hand as well. He tries not to think of red, jagged lines.

Noya and Tanaka are laughing together. The sound grates against Koushi’s nerves. He clenches his teeth, his hand tightening around his wrist. He wants them to _stop_. He can’t think about this right now. He doesn’t want to....

“Suga-san?” says a tentative voice from next to him.

Koushi jumps a bit, turning to face Hinata, who is standing in the aisle, his body swaying from the movement of the bus. “Hinata? What do you need?” He can’t help but be a little concerned. There’s a strange vulnerability in Hinata’s expression, tension at the corners of his mouth.

“Can I... can I sit next to you?” the boy asks, eyes wide and hopeful.

Like Koushi could say no to that. The window seat next to him is open, and he wonders if he should slide over or if he should step out of his seat and let Hinata be by the window. Tanaka laughs loudly and Hinata flinches a bit. _Well_ , Koushi thinks wryly, _that answers that question_. Without a word, he gets out of his seat and gestures for Hinata to sit by the window. Hinata flashes him a grateful smile as he does. Koushi slides in after him, creating a barrier between him and the rest of the bus. He notices that some of the tension drops from Hinata’s shoulders and can’t help but feel a bit proud of himself.

He gently bumps their shoulders together. “Hey, are you okay?”

Hinata grins up at him. “Yeah, I am!” He scoots a little closer to Koushi so that their arms are now pressed together in a solid line of warmth.

Koushi can’t help himself – he ruffles Hinata’s hair playfully with his left hand. The strands are soft against his skin. “Good,” he replies, softly smiling down at Hinata. The warmth in his chest is familiar, but almost unbearable.

Hinata beams back at him, pressing his head into the motion of Koushi’s hand, like a cat. Koushi digs his fingers into Hinata’s hair and the boy’s eyelids droop with bliss. He huffs out a laugh, but doesn’t stop the motion of his hand. He won’t, unless Hinata wants him to. He tries to imprint this moment of closeness, of trust, into his memory.

After a few minutes of this, Hinata’s head starts to drift towards Koushi’s shoulder. “Are you tired, Hinata?” Koushi murmurs.

Hinata lazily blinks open one amber eye. “No,” he slurs. “Just feels really good.” He nestles his head against the side of Koushi’s shoulder.

“I’m glad,” he replies with a fond chuckle. “You feeling better now?”

He feels the motion of Hinata’s nod against his shoulder. “I... I just don’t like talking about soulmates,” Hinata mumbles into his arm. Koushi can barely make out the words.

“Me neither,” he admits after a long moment.

Hinata turns his head so that he can look Koushi in the eye, accidentally dislodging his hand. “Really?” His expression is stunned, and a little hopeful. “You too?” His eyes flick down to glance at the band around Koushi’s wrist.

He hums in agreement.

“Wow,” Hinata whispers, shifting to once again press his head into the divot of Koushi’s shoulder. “Most people... do. Like talking about them, I mean.”

“Yes,” Koushi agrees, a little bitterly. “They do.” Both of them are silent for a long moment. Koushi can faintly feel the warm puff of Hinata’s breath across his collarbone. There is nothing he can say, he realizes. He can’t pry into Hinata’s reasons for disliking talk about soulmates, not without ruining the relaxation he’s managed to find by Koushi’s side, nor does he feel comfortable enough to discuss the root of his own issues. There’s only one thing he can do. “Would you rather talk about volleyball?” Koushi finally offers.

“Yeah!” Hinata cheers. It’s a little loud, since the boy’s mouth is so close to his ear, but Koushi can’t help but smile. As Hinata chatters about the new, cool spikes he’s seen recently, Koushi maneuvers his right hand around Hinata’s back to thread his fingers into his soft, silky hair once again. With a content wiggle, Hinata settles himself more firmly against Koushi’s side.

The rest of the bus ride is perfect. Hinata is soft and warm, bright in his enthusiasm. This is all he wants. It is everything he can’t have.

* * *

_He loves her. He met her his first day at Karasuno, and ever since then, the world has seemed... brighter. Sometimes, he imagines what it would be like, if it was her name in black kanji on his wrist. It’s a torturous, bittersweet thought._

_Koushi’s already decided though – he doesn’t need someone to match the name on his wrist. He’s just going to forget about soulmates. He’ll make his own happiness, unfettered by some cosmic mistake. So he basks in the warmth of her smiles, cherishes the quiet moments together with her, and ignores the questions from his classmates. She’s not his soulmate, but that doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter._

_It does, though. He’s with her when she meets her soulmate, an older boy who attends a nearby school. He’s happy for her, for them, but it hurts when she starts to drift away. After a year, they don’t talk to each other anymore. Their infrequent conversations in the hallway are stilted, awkward. He can see the pity in her eyes when she looks at the band around his wrist._

_He’s happy for her, he truly is. But sometimes, he wonders when he’ll be able to be happy for himself._

* * *

“Where are you going to college, Suga-san?” Hinata asks him. It’s just the two of them in the small courtyard outside the school gymnasium. Although Hinata’s gotten markedly better at receiving and other basic volleyball skills, the two of them still do receiving practice together every so often. Koushi guesses that Hinata insists on it because of his insatiable need for everything volleyball. Personally, he just enjoys spending time with the younger boy.

Koushi shrugs, tossing the ball at Hinata, who receives it with perfect form. “I don’t know yet, really. I’m studying hard for the entrance exams right now.”

“You’ll do great!” Hinata declares, beaming at him. “I know you will! Because you’re smart, and you work really hard!”

Koushi can’t help but smile at him. “Thanks, Hinata. I’m worried about it, but I’m not panicking yet.”

“You shouldn’t panic, Suga-san!” Koushi tosses the ball again, a little further from Hinata this time. He still manages to receive it, although his footwork is a little shakier than normal. “I just....” Hinata swallows, shuffling his feet and looking uncharacteristically abashed. “I was wondering if you were going to school in Miyagi? Maybe?”

“Maybe,” Koushi agrees. He tosses the ball in the air and sets it to Hinata, who receives it, barely. Something more is going on here. Hinata hasn’t been this bad at receives since before the training camp. “My first-choice universities are in Tokyo, but I’m considering a few out here.”

“Oh.” Hinata is silent for several moments. “Tokyo’s not too far away?” he finally says, glancing at Koushi uncertainly.

“No, it’s not.” Koushi sighs, unwilling to beat around the bush any longer. “What’s the matter, Hinata?”

Hinata jumps a bit in surprise, but he quickly recovers and smiles at Koushi sheepishly. “I just... I want to still see you! When you go to university, I mean! I... I’d miss you.”

Koushi can feel himself blushing, caught off guard. There are butterflies in his stomach, a burning in his chest. “I do too. I want to see you. I... I’d miss you as well,” he manages to say.

“R-really?” Hinata looks unreasonably surprised. “You’ll be busy with university things! Like volleyball and classes and... and new friends.”

Koushi shrugs. “I’d still want to see you,” he admits. _I want to see you every day_ , he doesn’t say. _I want to wake up next to you. I want to keep you, in my arms and in my life_.

Hinata smiles at him, but it’s a nervous, wavering thing. He takes a deep breath, drawing himself up to his full height. It looks like he’s steeling himself for something, but Koushi doesn’t know what could possibly have Hinata this nervous.

Koushi opens his mouth to reassure him, but before he can get the words out, Hinata darts towards him. He drops the ball in surprise as a pair of warm arms wind themselves around his waist. “H-Hinata?” he stutters.

“I...” Hinata mumbles, blushing furiously. “I... I really like you, Suga-san!” he half-cries, half-screams into Koushi’s chest.

He can’t respond. He can only stand there, stunned. This has to be a dream, a feverish concoction of his love-sick brain. There’s no way this can be real. Things like this don’t happen to him.

Slowly, his arms come up to encircle Hinata, cradling the younger boy close. He can’t comprehend this... this perfection. Hinata’s head is nestled under his chin and he can feel his rhythmic breathing. As he looks down at this impossible boy, Koushi catches a glimpse of his leather band, wrapped tightly around his right wrist.

Ah. Koushi knew he was forgetting something. There’s a lump in his throat, and he can already feel the hot weight of tears on his cheeks. He can’t have this. This... Hinata, beautiful, gentle, vibrant Hinata... isn’t meant to be his.

He’s already met his soulmate, and he wasn’t Hinata.

* * *

_This isn’t how he pictured it. This isn’t how he pictured at it all._

_“You’re Sugawara Koushi?” his soulmate gasps, shaking his head violently. “No, no, no, you can’t be.”_

_Koushi forces himself to smile. “I am! Umm... it’s really nice to –”_

_“No,” his soulmate interrupts. “You don’t understand. You_ can’t _be Sugawara Koushi. My dad’ll kill me.” He backs away slowly. “He always thought Koushi would be a nice girl, you know?” He’s almost pleading with Koushi now. “And I thought she’d be about my age? You’re... young.” There’s a pit in his stomach and bile is rising in his throat._

_His soulmate is still talking somehow. “There’s got to be a better person out there for you than me. You understand, right?”_

_He can’t move. He can’t speak. He can’t breathe. No. No no, this can’t be happening. This can’t be what he thinks it is._

_His soulmate is obviously disconcerted by his silence. “Hey, you look smart, and ummm... nice. This... this is obviously a mistake.”_

_He wants to throw up._

_“You can’t... I can’t....” His soulmate struggles to express himself for a long moment before finally blurting out, “You’re not my soulmate!” With that, he turns tail and flees. There’s a burning on Koushi’s right wrist. It somehow hurts less than the ache in his chest._

_Much later, when he’s curled up in his bed, under layers of blankets, he cautiously takes off his wristband and looks at the name on his skin. It used to be black, in a tiny, neat script. Now it’s red, the kanji blocky, deep, and vivid, like it’s been carved into him with a blunt knife. Oddly fitting, Koushi decides, snapping the wristband back on forcefully. His eyes burn, but he can’t cry. There’s a hollowness behind his breastbone – an empty, endless void. He closes his eyes and tries to force himself to sleep. Maybe things will be better in the morning._

_When he wakes up, the void is still there, and his eyes are still dry._

* * *

Koushi forces himself to open his arms and gently push Hinata away from him. There’s a terrible ache under his ribs. His eyes burn.

“I... we can’t,” he chokes out. “Hinata, I... I can’t.”

“Oh.” Hinata isn’t looking at him. His face is towards the ground, his eyes shadowed. There’s a dejected slump to his shoulders.

“It’s not....” Koushi feels compelled to say _something_. He didn’t do this very well – he’s sure Hinata’s drawing the wrong conclusions. “It’s not you! I mean....” He huffs out a frustrated breath, shifting from foot to foot in agitation. “I would... but soulmates?” He winces. It sounds awful, worded like that.

“Oh,” Hinata says again, still studiously looking in the ground. “I... I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I thought... nevermind.”

Koushi’s confused. “Wait, what didn’t you know?”

“That you had a soulmate,” Hinata explains, finally looking up to meet Koushi’s eyes. His own amber eyes are glistening, and Koushi suddenly feels like the worst kind of monster. He’s making Hinata _cry_. There’s a special circle of hell reserved for people who do that.

“I... don’t?” Koushi replies slowly. “I mean, I do, but... um, well....” Frustrated with his inability to express himself, he unclasps his leather band and thrusts his right wrist at Hinata. He’s only ever shown a few people, but, well, honestly, he’s wanted to tell Hinata for a while. It’s just not something that you can bring up in casual conversation.

Hinata stares at the blood-red name on his wrist for a long moment. “So,” he finally says, “you _don’t_ have a soulmate?”

“Yes, Hinata,” Koushi says, a little amused, despite the situation. “A red name like this is indicative of soulmate rejection.”

“What?!” Hinata exclaims, outraged. “Suga-san, who would reject you?” Without waiting for a response, Hinata barrels on, a tinge of color rising high on his cheeks. “They’re an idiot! You’re kind and wonderful and handsome and a good listener and super smart and you play volleyball really well! They’re... a stupid idiot! Yeah! You didn’t need them anyway!”

Koushi laughs, although there’s an edge of despair to it. This is it – this is all he’s ever wanted. Acceptance and a whole-hearted love. But someday, Hinata will leave, because that’s what other people _do_.

And when he does, it will _destroy_ Koushi.

It’s safer to keep him away. It’s better, for everyone. “Thanks, Hinata. I... Ummm... Whoever your soulmate is, they’re a very lucky person.”

Hinata looks confused. “I don’t know my soulmate, Suga-san.”

“But... you will, someday, right? And then –”

“No, Suga-san,” Hinata interrupts. “My soulmate is dead.”

“Oh,” he says, stunned. He... he didn’t expect that.

Hinata takes off his own band, showing Koushi the name on his right wrist, which is faded and grey, almost ghostly. “It’s been like that since I was three months old,” he explains. “I think my parents looked into it and found out what happened to her, but they never told me. I’ve decided not to find out. It’s just a name on my wrist, Suga-san. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“It does to most of the world,” Koushi absentmindedly replies, eyes still fixed on the faded kanji on Hinata’s skin.

Hinata shrugs. “Yeah. But we’re not most of the world, are we?”

Koushi looks up to meet Hinata’s eyes. He slowly smiles, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “No,” he agrees, an unbearable lightness in his chest. “We’re not.”

“I really like you, Suga-san,” Hinata repeats, cautiously hopeful.

“I really like you too, Hinata,” Koushi says, opening his arms. Hinata runs back into them with a cry of joy, throwing his arms around Koushi’s neck. Koushi wraps up Hinata in a tight embrace.

“I’m sorry,” he murmurs into Hinata’s hair. “I... I thought... well, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Hinata replies, pulling back just enough to look up at Koushi. “I’m just... I’m really happy, Suga-san!” He beams at Koushi, and Koushi can’t help himself.

“Can I kiss you?” he asks, a little nervous. He had really messed this up, and maybe Hinata would....

“Yeah!” Hinata cheers, suddenly surging up to meet Koushi’s lips in a rough, uncoordinated kiss.

Koushi pulls back a little, laughing, before guiding Hinata in again and gentling the kiss. His lips are chapped and warm against Koushi’s.

After a while, they both pull away from each other. Hinata is blushing, a wide smile on his face. Koushi can’t articulate his happiness. He spontaneously places a kiss on the very center of Hinata’s forehead.

“So,” Hinata says, a playful tilt to his lips. “You’ll visit me, then?”

Koushi laughs, clutching Hinata closer. “Yeah,” he says, and he feels wetness gathering at the corner of his eyes. “Yeah, I promise.”

“And you’ll come to Karasuno’s games?”

“I’ve got to make sure Kageyama’s being a good setter, right?”

“And you’ll... you’ll come back?”

Hinata won’t meet Koushi’s eyes, and Koushi realizes that he wasn’t the only one scared of this, of people drifting away, inevitable, fated. He wonders who left Hinata.

He tightens his arms around Hinata, grateful that the boy had been brave enough for both of them. “I’ll come back, I promise. You’ll come back too, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Hinata agrees, nestling his head under Koushi’s chin.

“Good,” Koushi whispers into his hair. “That’s good.” 

Their two discarded leather bands lie together on the dusty ground. Above them, the sky is a deep blue, clear and cloudless.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, karasunotsubasa, I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! I meant to write OiHina, but then SugaHina just... happened. :P


End file.
